Passenger Equipment Safety Standards

Subpart F & G

Inspection, Testing, Maintenance and Planning  Requirements for Tier II

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Module Objectives
        - Apply FRA Passenger Equipment Safety Standards when inspecting passenger equipment
        - Identify deviations from the standards

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Inspection, Test & Maintenance238.503
        - This section contains general provisions requiring railroads to develop detailed plans for inspecting, testing, and maintaining Tier II equipment
        - The following information shall be submitted to and approved by FRA before a railroad begins operations utilizing Tier II equipment;

Inspection procedures, intervals, and criteria,

Test procedures and intervals,

Scheduled preventive maintenance intervals,

Maintenance procedures, 

Special testing equipment or measuring devices required to perform inspections and tests, and

The training, qualification, and designation of employees and contractors to perform inspections, tests, and maintenance.

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Mention that unlike Tier I, ITM programs under Tier II require FRA approval first

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Compliance 
        - After FRA approves the ITM program, the railroad shall adopt the program and perform the following;

Inspections and tests of power brakes and other primary brakes,

Additional inspections and tests that the railroad identified as safety critical, and

Maintenance tasks that the railroad identified as safety critical.

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General ITM
        - The ITM program shall contain the railroad's written procedures to ensure that all systems and components of in service passenger equipment are free of any general condition that endangers the safety of the crew, passengers, or equipment 
        - These procedures shall protect against;

A continuous accumulation of oil or grease,

Improper functioning of a component,

A crack, break, excessive wear, structural defect, or weakness of a component,

A leak,

Use of a component or system under a condition that exceeds that for which the component or system is designed to operate; and

Insecure attachment of a component.

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Inspection Continued
        - Tier II equipment/trains shall receive a Class I brake test or equivalent brake test prior to departure from an originating terminal and every 1500 miles or once each calendar day whichever comes first
        - The brake test shall be performed by a QMP
        - 100 percent operative brakes required when Class I or equivalent brake test is performed
        - Complete interior and exterior mechanical inspection required to be performed by QMP at least once each calendar day the equipment is used in service
        - Trains that miss a scheduled Class I brake test or mechanical inspection due to a delay en route may proceed to the point where the Class I brake test or mechanical inspection was scheduled to be performed

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Defective Equipment 
        - Units with power brake defects shall be moved in accordance with 238.15
        - Units with other defects shall be moved in accordance with 238.17
        - Exception--when a failure of the secondary brake on a Tier II passenger train occurs en route, the train may remain in service until its next scheduled calendar day Class I brake test equivalent at a speed no greater than the maximum safe operating speed demonstrated through analysis and testing for braking with the friction brake alone. The brake system shall be restored to 100 percent operation before the train departs that inspection location

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Maintenance Intervals
        - Maintenance intervals of a safety-critical component shall be changed only when justified by accumulated, verifiable operating data and approved by FRA before the change takes effect

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Training, Qualification & Designation Program
        - Railroad shall have a training, qualification, and designation program for employees and contractors who perform safety related inspection, testing and maintenance of equipment
        - If a railroad deems a particular task(s) safety critical, then only qualified individuals shall perform the task(s)
        - The program is not intended to address employee working conditions or issues relating to employee safety during the course of conducting inspections, tests, and maintenance of passenger equipment

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Safety Critical Items
        - The railroad shall identify all inspection and testing procedures and criteria as well as all maintenance intervals that the railroad deems to be safety-critical

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Quality Control
        - Each railroad shall establish an inspection, testing, and maintenance quality control program enforced by railroad or contractor supervisors to reasonably ensure that inspections, tests, and maintenance are performed in accordance with Federal safety standards and the procedures established by the railroad

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Annual Review
        - The inspection, testing, and maintenance program required by this section shall be reviewed by the railroad annually
        - FRA Inspectors will periodically monitor/review inspection, testing and maintenance plans against actual application by railroad employees to determine compliance and effectiveness

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Safety Planning – 238.603
        - Railroad shall prepare and execute a written plan for the safe operation of Tier II equipment prior to beginning revenue passenger service with said equipment
        - The plan shall be updated a minimum of every 365 days

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Safety PlanningContent
        - The plan shall contain the following elements;

Identify all requirements necessary for the safe operation of the equipment in its operating environment,

Identify all known or potential hazards to the safe operation of the equipment,

Eliminate or reduce the risk posed by each hazard identified to an acceptable level using appropriate references as a guide or an alternative formal, safety methodology; and

Impose operational limitations, as necessary, on the operation of the equipment if the equipment cannot meet safety requirements.

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Reference material:  MIL-STD-882C

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Procurement
        - Each major upgrade or introduction of new technology in existing Tier II passenger equipment that affects a safety system on such equipment, each railroad shall prepare and execute a written safety plan

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ProcurementContent
        - The plan shall contain the following elements;

Identify all safety requirements governing the design of the passenger equipment and its supporting systems,

Evaluate the total system, including hardware, software, testing, and support activities, to identify known or potential safety hazards over the life cycle of the equipment,

Identify safety issues during design reviews,

Eliminate or reduce the risk posed by each hazard identified to an acceptable level using appropriate reference material as a guide or an alternative, formal safety methodology,

Monitor the progress in resolving safety issues, reducing hazards, and meeting safety requirements,

Develop a program of testing or analysis, or both, to demonstrate that safety requirements have been met, and

Impose operational limitations, as necessary, on the operation of the equipment if the equipment cannot meet safety requirements.

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Records
        - Each railroad shall maintain sufficient documentation to demonstrate how the operation and design of its Tier II passenger equipment complies with appropriate safety requirements 
        - Each railroad shall maintain sufficient documentation to track how safety issues are raised and resolved
        - Each railroad shall make available to FRA for inspection and copying upon request, each safety plan required by this section and any documentation required pursuant to such plan

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End of Module 7
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